You generally apply for secondary school in the autumn of the school year before your child is due to start, with a key deadline around the end of October in many systems.

Key timelines for 2024 starters (UK example)

For children starting secondary school in September 2024 in England:

  • Applications opened around 1 September 2023 via local councils.
  • The national deadline to submit applications was 31 October 2023.
  • Offers of places were sent on or around 1 March 2024.

So if you’re asking “when to apply for secondary school 2024,” the main application window was autumn 2023, with 31 October 2023 as the crucial cut‑off in England.

If you missed the main deadline

  • You can still apply after the deadline, but your application is usually treated as late , meaning you’re less likely to get one of your top choices.
  • Local councils still accept applications and will allocate a place where there is space, often in later rounds or via waiting lists.

An example: Brent Council lists 1 September–31 October (for 2025 entry) as the application window, and then runs second and third rounds of offers into the following spring.

Mini “Quick Scoop” style sections

1. Typical pattern year to year

Even though dates are published annually, the pattern is very similar:

  • Applications open early September.
  • Main deadline is 31 October of Year 6.
  • National offer day is around 1 March.

So, for “secondary school 2024,” think: apply September–31 October 2023, receive offer around March 2024.

2. Other places and special cases

  • In Singapore, secondary school placement is tied to PSLE results, and parents submit school choices in a Ministry of Education portal over a defined window soon after results (e.g., late November to early December for the 2025 cohort).
  • Many councils also allow “in‑year” applications if you move area or want to transfer during the 2024–2025 academic year.

Because dates and rules vary by country and even by local authority, always check your own council’s or education ministry’s admissions page for the exact “2024 entry” timetable.

Simple rule of thumb

If your child is starting secondary school in a given September (for example, September 2024), expect to:

  1. Research schools in the spring and summer of Year 5/6.
  1. Submit the formal application between early September and 31 October of Year 6.
  1. Receive the offer around the following March.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.